Narcotics Task Force Announces Marijuana Seizures
Numbers for 2014 are released
SAN DIEGO - This morning, the DEA San Diego Field Division’s Narcotics Task (NTF) along with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Health Advocates Rejecting Marijuana, (HARM) announce the total amount of illegal marijuana plants seized in San Diego County in 2014.
During calendar year 2014, NTF and our law enforcement partners seized over 131,818 marijuana plants from 103 separate grow locations - 53 outdoor sites and 50 indoor locations. At these locations, the investigators seized trafficker assets valued at approximately $323,240. One hundred and twenty nine subjects were arrested in connection with these operations. Of additional significance is the fact that 58,917 plants were removed from our public lands. That includes both U.S. Forest Service lands and Bureau of Land (BLM) lands. DEA/NTF will continue to intensify their efforts in this area and work with our National Guard, BLM, and US Forest Service partners to halt the extensive environmental damage that these grows cause and to ensure that our public lands remain safe.
This year, NTF has continued to see Butane Hash Oil Extraction Laboratories in relation to indoor marijuana grow operations. NTF estimates that there have been Hash Oil Extraction Laboratories in approximately 66% of the indoor grow investigations seized. There were 54 Hash Oil Laboratories seized since January of 2014, 7 of which resulted in an explosion/fire.
“DEA/NTF will continue to combat the dangerous and potentially deadly Hash Oil Extraction Labs,” says DEA San Diego Special Agent in Charge William R. Sherman. “We remain very concerned about the indoor cultivation of marijuana, and Hash Oil Extraction Labs. These operations are a significant threat to public safety and DEA/NTF will continue to investigate these illegal and dangerous cultivation and manufacturing operations, most of which have direct ties to local marijuana dispensary storefronts.”
For further information about marijuana cultivation, please refer to www.dea.gov
